"I thought the writing excellent, and wished if possible to imitate it. "With that view, I took some of the papers, and making short hints of the sentiments in each sentence, laid them by a few days, and then, without looking at the book, tried to complete the papers again, by expressing each hinted sentiment at length and as fully as it had been expressed before, in any suitable words that should occur to me. "Then I compared my _Spectator_ with the original, discovered some of my faults and corrected them. "But I found that I wanted a stock of words, or a readiness in recollecting and using them. "Therefore, I took some of the tales in the _Spectator_ and turned them into verse; and, after a time, when I had pretty well forgotten the prose, turned them back again." About this time his brother began to publish a newspaper. It was the fourth newspaper published in America, and was called the _New England Courant_. People said that it was a foolish undertaking. They said that one newspaper was enough for this country, and that there would be but little demand for more. In those days editors did not dare to write freely about public affairs. It was dangerous to criticise men who were in power. James Franklin published something in the _New England Courant_ about the lawmakers of Massachusetts. It made the lawmakers very angry. They caused James Franklin to be shut up in prison for a month, and they ordered that he should no longer print the newspaper called the _New England Courant_. But, in spite of this order, the newspaper was printed every week as before. It was printed, however, in the name of Benjamin Franklin. For several years it bore his name as editor and publisher. * * * * * VI.--FAREWELL TO BOSTON. Benjamin Franklin did not have a very happy life with his brother James. His brother was a hard master, and was always finding fault with his workmen. Sometimes he would beat young Benjamin and abuse him without cause. When Benjamin was nearly seventeen years old he made up his mind that he would not endure this treatment any longer. He told his brother that he would leave him and find work with some one else. When his brother learned that he really meant to do this, he went round to all the other printers in Boston and persuaded them not to give Benjamin any work. The father took James's part, and scolded Benjamin for being so saucy and so hard to please. But Benjamin would not go back to James's printing house. He made up his mind that since he could not find work in Boston he would run away from his home. He would go to New York and look for work there. He sold his books to raise a little money. Then, without saying good-bye to his father or mother or any of his brothers or sisters, he went on board a ship that was just ready to sail from the harbor.